Antonyms for button up

Grammar : Verb

Spell : lip

Phonetic Transcription : lɪp

Definition of button up

Origin : c.1300 (surname Botouner "button-maker" attested from mid-13c.), from Old French boton "a button," originally "a bud" (12c., Modern French bouton), from bouter, boter "to thrust," common Romanic (cf. Spanish boton, Italian bottone), ultimately from Germanic (see butt (v.)). Thus a button is, etymologically, something that pushes up, or thrusts out.
Meaning "point of the chin" is pugilistic slang, by 1921. A button as something you push to create an effect by closing an (electrical) circuit is attested from 1840s. Button-pusher as "deliberately annoying or provocative person" is attested by 1990 (in reference to Bill Gates, in "InfoWorld" magazine, Nov. 19). In the 1980s it meant "photographer."

As in lock : verb fasten, clasp
As in transact : verb do business, carry out
As in batten down the hatches : verb prepare for trouble
As in : verb keep silent
As in cap : verb outdo a performance
As in close : verb complete, finish, stop

Example sentences :

Decoud, with his back to the table, began to button up his coat.
Extract from : « Nostromo: A Tale of the Seaboard » by Joseph Conrad

Button up all the way, if you please, for a doctor's essay; if-you-please.
Extract from : « The Ink-Stain, Complete » by Rene Bazin

She began to button up her coat again with sure, thin fingers.
Extract from : « Mother » by Maksim Gorky

At this moment she is striving in vain to button up one of Chubby's gloves.
Extract from : « Lippa » by Beatrice Egerton

Nervously I used the right hand to button up my coat, and then put it out of mischief in my pocket.
Extract from : « Tell England » by Ernest Raymond

I took it quickly out and unbuttoned one coat-button: then, for lack of something to do with the hand, did the button up again.
Extract from : « Tell England » by Ernest Raymond

Not only was he relieved from the great heat, but was even obliged to button up his coat to keep himself warm.
Extract from : « Fairy Tales of the Slav Peasants and Herdsmen » by Alexander Chodsko

But nobody did ask you, darling, so in future when your betters are conversing, be good enough to button up that lip of yours!
Extract from : « Dorothy Dixon and the Double Cousin » by Dorothy Wayne

On entering, Tallyho was reminded by his Cousin to button up his toggery, keep his ogles in action, and be awake.
Extract from : « Real Life In London, Volumes I. and II. » by Pierce Egan

She had now begun to button up her ulster, as though preliminary to resuming her deck promenade.
Extract from : « The Crimson Tide » by Robert W. Chambers

Synonyms for button up

Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019